Populate text field from drop down box

[raunderwood79]

Gday,

I am creating a new form using Acrobat Pro DC (Version 2015.006.30119) and i want to select a name from a dropdown box i have created and have it pre-populate a text field to show their phone number so the user doesnt have to look it up or enter it manually.

Can someone please help me with this? Please note i do not speak code so if you can provide dumb down steps its much appreciated.

[try67 · Accepted solution]

This requires using a script.

The easiest way to set it up is to add the phone number as the export value of each of the items in your drop-down.

If you do that the only thing you'll need is to enter the following code as the custom calculation script of the text field:

event.value = this.getField("Name").value;

I'm assuming above that the drop-down is called "Name".

You might also want to tick the option to commit the selected value of the drop-down immediately. You'll find that under its Properties, Options tab.

[smanne1888]

Hi,

I am having a similar issue, but I am not able to set the export values of the dropdown as the values in the dropdown are dependent on the selections from another dropdown. Is there a way I can add to the below, but have it run an IF statement of some sort to tell it to output a number when a name is populated?

event.value = this.getField("Name").value;

Thank you!

[The Pet Sitter]

Has something changed with Adobe where this won't work anymore.  I have tried so many times to get this to work and it doesn't populate the Text Field with the requested value.  I have tried different field names and no go.  I have been playing with Adobe for so long I am getting so tired of it not working.

[try67]

No, not really. Could you share the file in question where it's not working?

[The Pet Sitter]

I have tried several different options from different adobe commuity people and none seem to work.  To give you a heads up I start in Microsoft Word creating form and then convert to adobe pdf where I then go into Adobe Acrobat DC.  I prepare form and add fields.  In the DROPDOWN TEST below I enter into dropdown field {Calculate} with:

var f = this.getField("Text"); //change text field name as needed
var v = event.value;
f.value = v;

And it doesn't prepopulate the Text field.

I have used different coding from the different employees and can't get it to work.  I'm sure its how I am doing it or not doing it.  Adobe has been very frustrating for me.  Thanks of looking into it.

[The Pet Sitter]

Oh when showing my process after enter all my fields I then convert to Adobe Sign.

[try67]

You can either have scripts, or you can have an Adobe Sign form, but not both.

[try67]

First step would be to revert it to an Acrobat form.

[The Pet Sitter]

Sorry, here you go.

[The Pet Sitter]

I missed one of your responses.  You mentioned I can either have scripts, or you can have an Adobe Sign form, but not both.  Well I use adobe sign forms to send out different forms.  Through Adobe Acrobat DC can I send several forms "together" so that I can use the scripts option?  Or is there something I have to do in Adobe Sign to get the scripting idea, or outcome, I want to accomplish?

[try67]

You can use Acrobat's Distribute command to do it, or simply attach the file to an email and send it to the recipients. You can add to it a button so that it can be submitted back to you, when filled in.

If you want the users to sign it, add a (required) digital signature field.

[The Pet Sitter]

Thank you Try67 I will give that a try.

[The Pet Sitter]

Try67 I was able to send a form and the dropdown populated the text field as asked which is awesome.  I haven't tried sending any combined forms though.  I will.

But I just don't like how it all goes and the professionalism about it being "Adobe" and all.  I wanted to do this all through Adobe Sign which I why I pay for it.  I just find it hard to understand that Adobe Sign can't seem to do what I am asking.

Thanks for the help Try67.  

[Alice6C12]

@try67 

Hi!  I am working on a form that on the first page has a dropdown with three options, and depending on the selected option, I want to code the form to pre-populate information on the third page of the form. The information will vary depending on the selected option, and should be pre-populated into eight different fields.  The code that I have is this:

var v = this.getField("Campus").value

if (v == " A")

{

getField("PTELegalAddress").value = "University sample\nDepartment Sample\nStreet sample\nState sample";

getField("PTECentralEmail").value = "abc@university.edu";

getField("PTEACName").value = "Name sample";

getField("[PTEACPhone").value = "phone sample";

getField("PTEAOName").value = "fixed value sample";

getField("PTEAOEmail").value = "email sample ";

getField("PTEAOPhone").value = "phone sample";

getField("PTEInvoiceAdress").value = " University sample\nDepartment Sample\nStreet sample\nState sample ";

this.getField("PTELegalAddress").display = display.visible;

this.getField("PTECentralEmail").display = display.visible;

this.getField("PTEACName").display = display.visible;

this.getField("PTEACPhone").display = display.visible;

this.getField("PTEAOName").display = display.visible;

this.getField("PTEAOEmail").display = display.visible;

this.getField("PTEAOPhone").display = display.visible;

this.getField("PTEInvoiceAddress").display = display.visible;

}

I have coded this into a 'run' button, but it is not working. Can you help me, please?

Thanks in advance!

[try67]

The code seems fine. Are there any error messages in the JS Console when you use it?

[Alice6C12]

none 😞 

when I 'click' the button to run the scrip nothing happens on the third tab, and I would expect to see the field pre-populated

[Alice6C12]

@try67  I found the problem!! it was the 'appearance' of the address field because the code includes new lines and the field was "autofill"

oh the joys of coding!

[try67]

Not sure what you mean, but glad to hear it's sorted!